Shedeur Sanders may not get a chance with Browns for a long time

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Shedeur Sanders may not get a chance with Browns for a long time

By Ernesto Cova | Last updated Sep 12, 2026 8:33 PM ET

Despite his history of injuries, subpar performances, and his run-in with the fan base, the Cleveland Browns will roll with Deshaun Watson as their starting quarterback.

Most people assume this is a temporary move, citing that it'll be easier to go from Watson to Shedeur Sanders than the other way around.

While that might be the case, the Browns might give Watson a much longer leash than the fans think — and want.

That only spells trouble for No. 2, who might run out of time and opportunities to prove that he can be the franchise's savior.

The Browns will be patient with Deshaun Watson

“I suspect a little grace here for a few reasons. One, they got six players on offense that are either rookies or second-year players,” Fowler said on ESPN. “So, they’re incredibly young on offense. And they know Deshaun Watson hasn’t played football in about two years, so they are expecting some level of rust.”

A crucial stretch begins for Browns QB Deshaun Watson pic.twitter.com/FjI2OM9jkO
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) September 12, 2026

Some speculated the Browns might bench Watson after two road games to avoid turmoil in the season opener.

That said, it's hard to believe Todd Monken will feel comfortable making such a tough decision after just a couple of games. Right now, it feels like it's truly Watson's job to lose; this might not be a temporary audition:

“They’ve got two games on the road, then they go back to Cleveland where he has to exorcise some demons a little bit where he had the boos in Cleveland. “So, look, they’re optimistic, they want this to go well,“ Fowler added. But it will be performance based. They’re not mapping out how long he is going to play, they are just hoping for the best week-to-week.”

While Sanders may still get his shot, he may not get enough games to convince the Browns not to draft a quarterback in the stacked 2027 quarterback class.

Ernesto Cova

Ernesto is a bilingual (English-Spanish) sports writer with over eight years of experience covering major leagues such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB. Ernesto’s work focuses on providing insightful, up-to-date coverage of sports, blending his expertise in sports psychology with a passion for analyzing player performance, team dynamics, and trade developments across various sports leagues

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